Blog Archives

Posted by Joel Osteen on 3/8/2013

Years ago, I was at an amusement park with our two children. We were in line for a very popular ride. At first it was a single file line, but as we got closer to the front, we were gathered into groups and led into a little building about 20 feet by 20 feet to wait for our turn. We were the first ones in our group to enter the building. We walked all the way to the other side of the room next to these big double doors and waited. But as other people began to come in, they were excited about getting on the ride and started maneuvering their way in front of us. I’m more laid back and easy going, so I wasn’t going to try to fight for our position. It was so crazy that we ended up at the very back of the room by the doors where we came in. In a few minutes, a young lady came out who worked at the park and gave us instructions about the ride. Then she said, “Okay, we’re ready to go. Turn around and go back out the same doors you came in.” We thought we were in the worst position, but one word from the person in charge, and suddenly, we were in the best position!

In the same way, all God has to do is shift the direction of some things in your life, and you’ll go from the back to the front! The truth is, you’re one shift from seeing a dream come to pass; one shift from paying your house off; one shift from seeing your health improve; one shift from meeting the right person.

You might say, “Joel, you’re just getting people’s hopes up.” Yes, you’re right! You can’t have faith if you don’t first have hope. When you go out with the attitude that says, “God, I believe things are shifting in my favor this year,” that’s not just being positive, that’s your faith being released. When you declare God’s favor, God says to the angels, “Listen to what they’re saying. They believe I’m all-powerful. They believe I can do the impossible. Let Me move this person out of the way. Let Me open up this new door. Let Me line up this new relationship. Let Me turn that negative situation around.”

It says in Isaiah that, “This is God’s year to act.” Not next year. Not five years from now. Not in the “sweet by and by.” No, this is the year God is going to shift things in your favor. He is getting things all lined up. What you couldn’t make happen on your own, God is going to cause you to accomplish. It’s going to be bigger than you thought, it’s going to happen quicker than you imagined, and it’s going to be more rewarding than you ever dreamed of. Your part is to stay in faith; keep declaring that God is at work. Keep believing that He is turning things around for your good. Remember, this is the year of God’s favor, and you are just one shift away from every blessing He has in store for you!

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me…to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19, NIV)

And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive. ~ Matthew 21:22, AMP.

Today’s Word:

In the natural realm, we exchange money for the things we want and need. But in the spiritual realm, faith is what we exchange. The Bible tells us that when you pray, have faith, and you will receive it. Faith moves mountains. Faith pleases God. Faith is what opens doors. What is faith? It’s believing in God and His goodness. It’s knowing that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Faith is believing that the promises of God are true. It’s obeying His Word. It’s what causes you to act.

Where does faith come from? Scripture tells us that everyone is given a measure of faith; that faith grows by hearing the Word of God. Simply put, the more you hear the Word of God, the more real it becomes in your life and the easier it is to believe His promises.

It doesn’t matter how much faith you have today, begin growing your faith by choosing to obey God’s Word. As you hear and obey the Word, your faith will strengthen, and you will receive what you’ve been believing for in Jesus’ name!

Prayer for Today:

Father, thank You for Your Word which causes my faith to grow. I open my heart to You and invite You to have Your way in my life. Show me Your goodness and faithfulness as I put my trust in You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. – Malachi 3:10, AMP.

Today’s Word:

God wants to open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings on you today and every day of the year. But notice that today’s verse tells us that there is something we have to do first—we have to step out in faith and bring our tithes to Him. In other words, we have to be obedient to God with our finances.

We have to remember that we are stewards over the resources God has given us. When we are good and faithful stewards, the Lord entrusts us with more. He opens the windows of heaven. Have you ever thought about what kind of blessing would be so great that there would not be room enough to receive it? It may be hard to comprehend, but that’s what God’s Word promises—to overwhelm us with His blessings!

I encourage you today, be a giver. Be a tither. Put yourself in a position to receive His blessing. Begin to thank Him for His faithfulness. Lift up your eyes to Him. As the scripture says, prove Him and see Him move mightily on your behalf!

Prayer for Today:

Father, thank You for choosing to bless me. Thank You for opening the windows of heaven in my life. I choose to be obedient to Your Word. I choose to be a giver. I choose to be faithful and thank You for Your faithfulness to me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

In the natural, when we’ve wronged someone, sometimes it’s easier to avoid them than to face the discomfort or potential rejection. It isn’t surprising that people sometimes have this same approach to God. Have you ever heard someone say, “If I walk into a church, the roof will cave in?” They think they should keep their distance because of what they’ve done. But nothing could be further from the truth! God’s not mad at you; He’s madly in love with you! He’s waiting for you with open arms. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done; know that His goodness is what’s drawing you to Him.

Today, don’t let condemnation keep you from turning to God. Trust His kindness. Trust that He wants you to experience His goodness. He wants to show you His faithfulness. He’s promised He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. Turn to Him today and let Him pour His loving kindness on you and empower you to walk in victory all the days of your life!

Prayer for Today:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your kindness that draws me. I come to You today giving You all that I am. Make me new in Jesus’ name. Amen.

And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they presented to Him gifts–gold and frankincense and myrrh. ~ Matthew 2:11 AMP.

Today’s Word:

Can you imagine what it must have been like for the Wise Men when they saw Jesus? He was just a child in a stable surrounded by animals, but these Wise Men recognized that He was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords; the Savior of the world. Immediately, they fell on their faces to worship Him, but notice what they did next—they presented Him gifts as part of their worship. And they didn’t just give any old thing they had; they gave Him their absolute best—costly gold, frankincense and myrrh.

When we give Jesus our absolute best—our time, talent and resources, it is truly an act of worship. We are saying with our actions, “God, You mean more to me than anything. Because You are so awesome, I want to give You everything that I am.” It pleases Him when we come to Him with this attitude. When we draw near to Him with an open and humble heart, He draws near to us. Remember to always give Him your best and watch Him open doors of blessing in every area of your life!

Prayer for Today:

Father, I come humbly to You today giving You all that I am. I honor You as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I bless You because You are worthy of my absolute best in Jesus’ name. Amen.

In Second Kings, there is the story about a widow who doesn’t have money to pay her bills. In those days, if you couldn’t pay your bills, your family was taken and sold as slaves, and that’s exactly what was about to happen. The creditors were coming to take her sons as payment. The only thing she had of any value was a small pot of oil to cook with. The prophet Elisha showed up at her house and told her to do something that seemed strange. He said, “Go out to the neighbors and borrow as many big, empty pots to hold oil as you can possibly find.” He said specifically, “Borrow not a few. Get as many as you can.” He was saying in effect, “Don’t shortchange yourself; make room for abundance.”

The widow went out and borrowed some pots. I can imagine she found five or six of these big, empty pots. When she came home, Elisha told her to pour her oil into one of the empty containers. It appeared as though she would just transfer it from one container to the other, but the scripture says, “Her oil never ran out.” She kept pouring and pouring. God supernaturally multiplied it until all of those containers were completely filled. Here’s my point: She was the one who determined how much oil she would have. If she would have borrowed one container, she would have one full. If she would have borrowed ten, she would’ve had ten full. If she would have borrowed 50, she would’ve had 50 full. It wasn’t up to God how much she increased, it was up to her. God has unlimited supplies. That’s why the prophet said, “Borrow not a few.”

My question today is, “How many containers are you borrowing?” What kind of vision do you have for this new year? Some people have a barely-get-by container. They think, “Oh, man, business is so slow. I’m hoping to just make it through this year.” They’ve got a tiny little container. God says, “Alright, I’ll fill your ‘barely-get-by’ container.” Some of you, like this lady, have five or six containers. You’re

believing to pay your bills, feed your family, and have a little bit left over. That’s good. God will fill those containers. No matter what you’ve been expecting, believe that this year is the year for increase! Know that God can do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond. He is El Shaddai—the God of more than enough. Make room for His far-and-beyond favor because God is saying, “You need to get ready. I’m going to fill your containers!”

It may not have happened in the past, but God has favor in your future. He has new opportunities, good breaks, blessings that will chase you down. You may not see how this could happen, but God has a thousand ways to increase you that you’ve never thought of. God has explosive blessings, blessings that can thrust you years ahead.

Like this woman, God wants to bless you beyond your normal income, beyond your salary, beyond your retirement. God can give you one good break, one promotion, one idea or one inheritance, and all those containers are filled to overflowing. Now make sure you don’t shortchange yourself. God is saying, “Borrow not a few.” Get ready, get your hopes up, get your faith up, and make room for abundance because that’s what God has waiting for you!

Happy New Year! Joel and I pray that you’ve been blessed and refreshed this holiday season. Welcome to 2013! Can you believe it’s already here?

If you’re like most, you’re probably making your list of goals and to-do’s for the new year. You may have even pulled out last year’s list attempting to pick up where you left off. But no matter what your goals are, I just want to encourage you with this scripture in Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

Now when you commit something to Him, that means you put everything about it in His hands. It means you trust Him with the process and the results. It also means that you are willing to lay it down if you sense Him speaking to your heart, “This isn’t the right thing for you right now.”

Maybe you don’t have any specific goals or plans for the new year yet. Maybe you’ve had some circumstances that have thrown you off course or you’ve just felt overwhelmed by life. Your part is to just commit each day to Him and let Him lead you moment by moment. Someone said one time, “My five-year plan is the same as my five-minute plan—hear from the Lord and do what He says.” You’ll never be disappointed by following His leading. Scripture says His plans are always for our good. He wants to give us hope and a good future. He delights in the prosperity of His children. He came to give us everlasting and abundant life.

Today, I want to join my faith with yours as you put this scripture into practice and commit your ways to the Lord that He will direct your steps down the path of success in everything you set your hand to.

We love you so much and pray that you have a happy, blessed and prosperous 2013!

Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. – Hebrews 10:35, NKJV.

Today’s Word:

Have you been praying and believing for something that seems like it’s taking a lot longer than you thought? Many times, people can miss God’s best simply because they give up before they see their “due season” come. Don’t let that be you! Be encouraged today, your answer is closer than you think. If it seems like things are getting more difficult, remember, when the intensity heats up, that means you are closer to your victory. It always seems darkest just before the dawn arrives.

We serve a faithful God, and He’s working behind the scenes on your behalf. Don’t cast away your confidence today because your reward is coming. And just like a new mother forgets about her labor pain once she is finally holding her newborn, you’ll forget about your struggle when you are holding on to your promise. While you are waiting, keep an attitude of faith and expectancy. Wake up every morning and say out loud, “I’ve come too far to give up now. My due season is coming. I will reap my harvest.” Stay in faith and look for His hand of blessing because He has promised you victory, and it’s closer than you think!

Prayer for Today:

Father in heaven, today I stand believing that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. Give me Your strength to stand in faith until I see every promise fulfilled in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today is Election Day in America. It’s a day we get to exercise our privilege to vote for the leaders of this country. Scripture tells us in Romans 13 that government and authority is established by God and we should honor those who are in authority over us. No matter what happens at the end of the day, we are called to pray for our leaders and respect those who are in authority over us even if we don’t necessarily agree with everything they do.

Second Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” (NLT) Today and every day, let’s remember to pray for our leaders. As we do, God promises to hear us and restore our land. Join us today and make this the prayer of your heart:

Father in heaven, today we come to You on behalf of our leaders and those who are in authority over us. We pray first that they would know You, honor You, and seek Your ways. We pray that they would have wisdom and discernment to make good decisions. We pray for safety over them and their families and for peace in their hearts and minds. We pray for unity in this country, and may we always remember that we are one nation under God. Thank You, Father, for hearing our prayers and healing our land in Jesus’ name. Amen!

There’s a story about a man who fell into a pit. Different people came along to voice their opinions. The Pharisee said, “You deserve to be in the pit.” The Catholic said, “You need to suffer while you’re in the pit.” The Baptist said, “If you’d get saved, you wouldn’t have fallen into the pit.” The Charismatic said, “Just confess, ‘I’m not in the pit.'” The mathematician said, “Let me calculate how you fell into the pit.” The IRS agent said, “Have you paid taxes on that pit?” The optimist said, “Things could be worse.” The pessimist said, “Things will get worse.”

Everyone has an opinion. If you try to please every person, the one person that will not be happy is you. And it’s funny; sometimes the people who are trying to run your life can’t even run their own. It’s good to get advice. It’s good to listen to opinions, but you’ve got to be confident enough in who God made you to be that when something doesn’t bear witness with your spirit, you have a boldness to say, “Thanks, but no thanks. I love you. I appreciate your advice, but this time, it’s not for me.”

I have a friend who’s on staff here with us. Several years ago, a man came up to him and said, “I feel very strongly that you’re supposed to go out and start your own church. You’re a great minister. You’re anointed. I know it would be a success.”

And while my friend appreciated his encouragement, that didn’t bear witness with him at all. He knows he is called to be here. This is exactly where God wants him to be. Month after month, this man kept coming up to him saying, “When are you going to start your church? When are you going to take that step of faith?” It went from being encouraging to pressuring him, trying to squeeze him into a mold.

My friend finally said to him, “Let me ask you, will you rent me an auditorium? Will you buy me a sound system? Will you pay my staff? Will you pay the utilities? Will you pay all the advertising costs?”

That man looked at him like he had lost his mind. He said, “No, I can’t do that. I can’t afford it.”

My friend said, “Well, if God calls me, He will take care of me. He will pay my bills. He will bring the right people. He will line up the auditorium. But if I do it because you called me, I’m going to have to rely on you, and I can tell I’d be very disappointed.”

Proverbs 29 tells us that “the fear of man brings a snare.” In other words, when you rely on the opinions of others, instead of leading you out of the pit, it will lead you into the pit! Today, learn to separate yourself from the opinions of others and consecrate yourself to God. After all, His opinion is the only one that matters, and He will lead you into life, freedom and victory all the days